St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1887-04-21
A TRIP 10 oALIFoRNiA---No. TX.

Mob Hill with It's sights and Sites.-Hovv
CALIFORNIA; sIillionaires Spend Money.
The Biggest Hotel ON Earth.-The
Mueh-Abused Weather.
NV last letter closed with some men
ton of elegant country residences of
California millionaires at Menlo Park,
which is a delightful oak-grown Sec
ton in the Santa Clara valley, 80 miles
south of San Francisco. / do not wish
to leave this subject without an adden-
da. Several of these same men who
have such elaborate estates and resi-
dences in the valley, also have city
homes of marked cost and elegance.
These wealthy private residences are
largely in one locality in the city-the
high eminence along California street
known as "NOb HILL" Senator Stan
ford has city home here which di-
vides his attention and income with
the PalO Alto ranch at Menlo Park, de-
scribed in the eighth letter. This city
house is not very extravagant in exte-
rior, but is elegantly finished and fur
nished. Senator Stanford was COVER
nor in 1862, accumulated his wealth
i'm the Central Pacific railroad, and is
now president of the Southern Pacific
railway system which has absorbed the
Central and nearly everything else in
the transportation line on this coast.
His wealth is estimated at not less than
twenty millions. He is childless, hav-
ing buried his only son some four years
ago.
Next west of Senator Stanford's house
on Mob Hill, and in the same block but
on a more elevated site, is the resi-
dence of Mrs. Mark Hopkins. This is
a larger house, more snowy in style Of
architecture and is an object easily
seen and distinguished for many miles
around, both on land and the bay. The
house and furnishings cost four and a
half millions. Mr.. Hopkins was an as
sociate in the Central Pacific with SEN
atOr Stanford and when he died his
twenty millions.
On the opposite side of California
street and nearly opposite the last de-
scribed house, is the residence of
Charles Croker, another Central Pa
cific railroad magnate who was enrich
ed thereby to the sum of eighteen or
twenty millions. These three men are
three of the five original directors of
the Central Pacific railroad, and it
seems they made railrOading pay-the
directors
On the same side of the street and
near the Crocker house is the city
home of James C.. Flood, another man
whose extensive and elegant establish
ment at MenlO Park was mentioned in
the last letter. This house is bnilt of
Portland, Conn, brown stone, and is
not at all "showy" in exterior, and in
this respect is directly the opposite of
his country palace. But the whole es-
Establishment is very rich and costly. 1t
is told for fact that when the bill of
the New York firm was rendered for
furnishing the house Mr.. FlOOp for
once was inclined to demur, but finally
drew his check for $3.50, 600 which was
the sum called for by the bill. Some
years ago Flood & O'Brien kept liq-
uor saloon in this city. In company
with John Mackey and James G.. Fair
they in some way obtained control OF
the COmstOck mine in Nevada, which
they SO "wOrked" as to realize net
profit to the firm of one hundred mil
lions of dollars i'm five years Mr.. Fair
also began the erection of a mansion
on Mob Hill, bnt his wife obtaining a
divorce and four million dollars alimO-
ny at the same time, there did not
seem any especial necessity for big
house for the man alone, so work
ceased on the house and Mr.. Fair made
his "official" residence in Nevada,
whose legislature was so impressed
with his (fnanciaD ability that he was
sent to the United States senate to as
sist in making laws to govern this land.
His wealth since the divorce is estimat-
ed at only about six millions, and it is
said that one of his diversions at Wash
ington when not at his "arduous" du-
ming the refrain "Better is dinner
of herbs and cOntentment Herewith
than a wide house with a vain woman"
Mrs. Fairs favOrite pastime is not re-
ported.
There are many other fine resid ences
in this part of the city, including Rob-
ert SherwoOd's, Lloyd Tevis's, j. B.
Haggin's and others, each one of whom
counts his wealth up into the millions.
1t would be pleasant in this cOnnec-
ton to record that the wealth of these
California milliOnaires is cOnsecrated
to high and noble purposes but such
is not the rule. Senator Stanford has
it in his heart to do something for edu
cation on a magnificent scale but
practical men shake their heads when
his scheme is mentioned and act as
though they believed it visionary and
of doubtful utility. 1t may be too ear
ly to pass judgment upon it, but at
least one feature will strike the New
England reader as "queer." One of
the endOwments of the university to-
be is vineyard of several thousand
acres the fruit of which is made into
wine and brandy SO as matter of
fact the more that can be realized from
| linnors nr0dnced the greater the sum